Bob LaPrade Deputy Director for Asia and Europe From Jakarta, Indonesia

Q: Can you give us a picture of CARE's role in caring for displaced families from East Timor?

A: Many people have arrived in West Timor and non-governmental organizations, such as CARE, have access to many of these people. Some fortunate people are living with families, some have moved into almost camp like conditions and some are actually living in small groups in churches and things like that. CARE is providing to these displaced people basic necessities such as clothing, bedding, cookware and some various cooking materials such as oil, salt and dried fish. CARE is also looking into providing health care, sanitation and water facilities. These should be starting within the next few days, in the places where fairly large numbers of people have congregated.

Q: Can you give us an update on how many people have been displaced?

A: In West Timor, on the western part of the island, a total of about 120,000 people have come over from East Timor. As I have mentioned, some of them are living in churches and camps while others are living with host families. They are concentrated in different areas; some around Attangpua, which is close to the East Timor border. In East Timor an estimated 200,000 people have been displaced due to being forced to flee their homes. So we are talking of a total on the island of about 320,000 East Timorese that are displaced. This is out of a total population of 800,000, so we are talking about close to half of the population.

Q: What plans is CARE making to assist displaced families once they return home from West Timor?

A: Well some of them, of course, will be East Timorese who will still be inside East Timor while others are going from West Timor. They will hopefully go home as the security situation improves. CARE is looking into providing food, because they are reports that many of the people are starving. They are eating roots out in the forest and things like that. Many of them have fled to remote, hilly areas where there really is not much available, but they are there because it is the safest area right now. So food is one of the main things that is going to be immediately necessary. Also water, sanitation and emergency shelters. Many people will be coming back to homes that will have been completely destroyed, so initially they will probably need to be housed in some kind of larger public facilities while their houses are in the process of being rebuilt. CARE will probably help them to do this. We will also be looking into providing some basic non-food items such as clothing, bedding, some cookware and things that are basically necessary to get them back onto their feet again. The other important thing is the provision of seeds. The planting season is coming up and they are going to need to get the crop in the ground before November for the maize, which is a popular foodstuff in East Timor. So providing seeds and tools so they can actually have a crop for the next harvest, which will be sometime early next year. So there is really a lot to do and CARE and many other organizations out there are trying to meet the needs; trying to get organized, to preposition things right now, to really get in there, hopefully starting this weekend.